The Santa Clause
by Sapperjoe85
Summary: Nick finds himself in quite the holiday predicament as he learns to take Santa's place in this Zootopia rendition of the Santa Clause movie.
1. Chapter 1

**I want to give a special thanks to BrutusDeagon and FirnenOne for their help in editing and proof reading. This story wouldn't have been nearly as legible if it weren't for their help. **

**A/N:**

Nick never cared for the Grizzmas holiday. For starters, it always started to soon. Before the Howlloween costumes and candy could even think of going up on the shelves the shopping centers would begin putting Grizzmas decorations out to advertise. As soon as Howlloween was over the local radio stations would start playing Grizzmas music around the clock. Everyone would be cheery and excited for the cooler weather to move in. Soon, all Zootopia would be coated in a layer of snow. Mostly artificial as snow machines from Tundra town would be brought into Savannah center, the Meadowlands and even Sahara Square would turn the heaters down to participate in the season of giving.

_"Giving. Ha! What a laugh."_ Nick thought bitterly. He could hardly recall a time in his life when Grizzmas was about anything other than getting what you could for as little as you could. His profits always dwindled this time of year. Everyone wanted a discount, or they wouldn't buy anything. It affected his profits so much that he had to adjust his budget for the entire year. Selling cheap knock off products was already difficult. Let alone selling them at a discount. It didn't help that his favorite holiday was all but forgotten.

Nick stopped in his tracks, paws ankle deep in the artificial snow of Happy town. It was Grizzmas Eve, only an hour from midnight. Nick's thoughts, however, were on another holiday in a time that felt like ages ago. A warm home with a table that held a meager meal compared to what others were preparing to feast on. But to him, it was a feast fit for kings. All his favorites, sweet potato pie, mashed potatoes, dressing and the best part of all, turkey. He stopped in his tracks and a smile began to tug his frown upward. But then the growling of his own stomach made itself known and his frown quickly returned. He drudged on.

The home he remembered as being warm and inviting was now empty and cold as far as he was concerned. Instead he walked to another building. One near the center of Happytown.

Passing an alley, he heard the clatter of a trash lid as it fell on concrete the snow blowers hadn't covered. He peered into the dark and saw a sight that was all too common. Young cubs, rummaging through the trash to find whatever meal they could. Or anything else that might be of worth to them. Nick walked into the alley and quickly drew the cubs' attention. A tigress and a wolf. The youngsters cowered away from him. He stopped a distance from them and lowered himself down. He pulled the scarf from around his neck and laid it on the ground. He then pulled a small bag from his coat pocket, a sandwich he hadn't eaten, and laid it on the scarf before standing and walking away. He didn't wait or try to listen if they accepted his gift. He didn't really care he told himself. Soon his thoughts were replaced by the methodical crunch of snow under paw as he made his way home.

_"Home."_ He thought with a sarcastic huff. "_Not much of a home._" Indeed, the old condemned building he squatted in hardly counted as a home. It had a chimney, but the hearth had been bare for years. After all, he couldn't have anyone know he was there illegally. For heat he used a small camp stove that barely warmed the smallest bedroom on the mildest of winter nights. But it would do until his winter coat came in fully. Score one for biology.

This late at night the streets were bare and most of the streetlights were out. As he rounded the corner his humble abode came into view. As well as something he hadn't expected. Atop his room was a very plump bear. Dressed as Santa Claws no less. Nick had to wonder, was this idiot at the wrong house? Who would mistake a decrepit old building in Happytown from some nice condominium in the Meadowlands? Nick rushed over and cried out.

"Hey! Get off my house!"

Many thoughts went through his mind as he jogged toward his home. The first was the instinct to guard his home from intruders. While the house was not his, the belongings inside certainly were. The second was how would he protect what was his from such a large bear? He wouldn't be over to overpower him. Perhaps he could run in circles till the clearly obese bear had a heart attack. Several other things came to his mind in an instant. But the one thing that didn't come to mind was what happened.

The bear seemed startled and slipped on the snow-covered roof. Nick watched helplessly as the bear slid off the roof and into the yard. He heard a sickening crunch that he hoped was due to the bears size packing so much snow at once. He raced over and found the bear sprawled out in his yard. There was no movement.

"Hey buddy, you okay?" There was no response. The bear lay there completely still. Nick couldn't even see any steamy breath coming from the bear's muzzle. Panic quickly began to take over. What was he going to do? He couldn't call the police; they want to know why he was on the roof and that meant going in the house. If they found he was squatting, there they'd arrest him. He turned away from the bear and started pacing. Maybe he could just call an ambulance, they'd just buy his story, right? A fox in Happytown says a Santa Claws bear was on his roof and he slipped. A sudden gust of chilly wind tickled his ears just as he turned to pace back the way he came.

"What do I do? What do I do? What do I… do?" As panic began to consume him, he looked back to where the bear lay sprawled in the snow. Only, he was gone. The red Santa suit remained but the bear was gone. Vanished into thin air. Nick stepped closer to the suit and noticed it lay in the impression the bear had left in the snow. There were no footprints in the snow save for his. Upon closer inspection, Nick saw a card laying atop the coat. He carefully lifted it up to read what was upon it. Noting the decorative border along the edge he read the message.

Santa Claws

North Pole

"Really? A business card?" Nick glanced around once again. Still no one or any sign of the bear that was once in his yard. He flipped the card over and found more written on the back.

If something should

happen to me, put on the suit.

The reindeer will know

what to do.

"Reindeer? What rein… deer…" Nick questioned as he turned around. There behind him he found eight reindeer all dressed in bright green and red clothing with reins and harnesses strapped around their shoulders and decorated with silver bells. "Oh." The closest to him pointed behind Nick at the suit.

"Put it on."

"What?" Nick asked with a canine head tilt.

"Put on the suit." He said again. Nick quickly adopted his trademark half smile and disarming persona.

"Look, pal, I don't know what this is about or who put you up to it but there's no way I could fit into that bear sized…" As Nick was speaking, he'd turn to point at the suit in question. But his retort had died in his throat as he glanced back to find the suite that was once sized for an overweight bear had been replaced by one that was fox size. "How did you… Where did that…" Nick asked as he glanced back and forth between the suit and reindeer.

"What is going on?!" He finally shouted in frustration as he looked to the reindeer for answers.

"Put on, the suit. We only have one night. Then, you can work it out." One of them offered.

"Fine. I'll put on the suit." He walked over and pulled his own coat off, tossing it to the side. Revealing his floral pawaiin shirt with mismatched tie and khaki slacks. He put on the pants and cinched them tight around his waist. He then put his arms through the sleeves and buttoned the coat. It all fit him perfectly.

"There! Happy now?" He sarcastically asked the reindeer.

"The hat." One of them pointed out. Nick looked down and snatched a red Santa hat from the snow and placed it upon his head. He then threw his arms out to the side in a mocking gesture. The reindeer simply smirked and stepped towards him. Nick immediately drew back.

"Wait, wait, what are you going to do?" One of them reached behind him and lifted him by the jacket he now wore. Holding him up in front of him as they walked around the corner. Another carried a large sack he'd lifted from the snow the other Santa had been carrying.

"Only the best we can." He answered just before dropping Nick into a sleigh. A full-blown genuine sleigh. Nick looked around and studied the contraption he'd been dropped into. Another reindeer dropped a large sack into the back of the sleigh before joining the others in attaching themselves to it.

"So, um, do I need to call out your names or something?" To which the reindeer all chuckled.

"Nah, you just sit back and hold on. We're almost done and then you can get yourself sorted out."

"Oh, okay, well what exactly do I-EYAH!" Nick yelped as the sleigh suddenly shot forward, tossing him into the floorboard. He gathered himself and pulled his body up over the ledge of his compartment so he could yell at them for doing that. But what he saw caused his jaw to drop and eyes to widen. They were flying high above the city! The reindeer were pulling the sleigh through the air! How were they doing this?! Before he could articulate words, the reindeer suddenly banked left and began to descend back towards terra firma. The sudden move had Nick digging his claws into the woodwork to keep from falling over. Just as they began to approach the rooftops the reindeer slowed their pace and they softly landed atop one of the buildings.

Nick looked around to try and gain his bearings. He could see the Grand Palm hotels, then the spires from grand central station, an angry reindeer…

"W-what?" He stuttered out, to which the bull rolled his eyes.

"Take the bag and go down the chimney. Don't you know anything?" He spat.

Nick looked around the rooftop but didn't see a chimney anywhere.

"What chimney?" He asked a little irritated.

The reindeer pointed towards one of the exhaust vents. Nick looks at the vent and then raises an eyebrow and looks back at the bull.

"You're kidding, right?" The bull's expression didn't change. "Yeah, not kidding, got it." So, he lifted the sack and walked over to the vents. Glad the artificial snow wasn't blown on top of the buildings as well. He stood next to the vents and peered down. Steam was slowly rising from the heaters below and out of the vent. Nick looked back at the reindeer only to find them glaring back. "Okay, now what?" He asked.

"Hold the bag over the pipe." One of them said. Nick did as he was instructed with a raised eyebrow. He looked down the hole for a second and then at the bag before looking back to the reindeer again who only looked at him with a smirk. He parted his lips to ask 'now what' when he felt a tingle in his arm.

Looking back, he saw the bag had begun to morph its shape and sink into the vent. The tingling in his arm worked its way to his shoulder as he watched his arm begin to follow the bag in. He began to panic and tried to pull away, but his feet only slid across the rooftop and he found himself being pulled in.

"No, no! Wait, wait! AAHHHH!" It was a strange sensation to travel down the pipes. He felt every curve and rotation as his body was warped through the fixtures. Finally coming out through a fireplace in the apartment. He landed with a thump on the floor and rolled under the occupants Grizzmas tree. Letting out a groan as he felt the presents beneath it dig into his back. Nick rolled himself off the offending box and slowly lifted himself up. Glancing around he found himself in a nice apartment. The carpet was soft and warm, the furniture looked fairly new and the appliances in the open-air kitchen shined in the dim light from the decorations.

He admired the living conditions before turning to face the fireplace. It looked like a fireplace, but it didn't fit in with the rest of the room. It was ornately decorated but simple in design. It didn't even look like it had been used before. Nick stared at it for a few minutes before remembering why he was there. With a sigh he lifted the bag and reached inside. He pulled a present out and read the name. "Clarence." He said out loud. With a shrug he placed it under the tree. He pulled five more out before the sack was empty, one more for Clarence with two each for an Abigail and Simon. He was just about to try and figure out how to get out of there when the sound of a voice caught him off guard.

"Santa?" Nick froze and slowly turned to face the voice. Peaking over the back of the couch was a young whitetail doe, Abigail, he presumed. "Are you really Santa?" She asked, aw in her voice.

"Mmm, uuhh, maybe?" He cautiously answered.

"But Santa is a bear, with a long white beard. You're just a fox." She said unbelievingly. Nick's shoulders slumped before he donned a smirk.

"Yeah well, this is just a temporary gig. I'm sure you'll get the real Santa next year."

"Oh." She replied, disappointment clear in her voice. Nick went to make his exit, standing next to the vent he'd come out of and was about to hold the sack in front of it in the hopes it would take him back out. "Are you leaving?" The young doe asked.

"Uh, yeah. That's the plan." He quickly replied.

"But you didn't drink the milk or eat the cookies." She gestured to a plate and glass sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"I'm not a big fan, thanks."

"But you gotta!" She replied.

"Why?" He asked back.

"Cause! It's, it's, it's the rules!" She answered, waving her little hooves around in the air as her voice got louder.

"Shh, shh, shh! Okay, okay! I'll eat a cookie!" He harshly whispered. Stepping over to the table he found what appeared to be oatmeal raisin cookies with half a glass of milk. He picked up one of the cookies and took a bite, making sure he showed his teeth before chewing loudly. The little doe just watched as he showed where he bit a piece off before putting it down.

"Now the milk." She said, crossing her arms in front of her. Nick rolled his eyes and picked up the glass before taking a big gulp and placed it back on the table.

"Satisfied?" He asked, throwing his arms to the side. With a bright smile she nodded her head.

"Mmhmm!"

"Good, now go to bed or Santa Fox is taking all these toys back to the North Pole!" Her smug grin quickly turned to surprise as she darted back down a hallway that must have led to her room. Nick shook his head before grabbing another cookie and dragging the sack back into the fireplace, giving the rope a tug. "Let's go." As he took another bite, the bag lifted from the floor and rose up the chimney, pulling Nick with it. As he lost site of the room the fireplace shrank on itself and formed back into a wall heater. As the bag pulled him from the vent and back onto the roof, Nick held onto the rope of the bag as it sailed through the air and safely landed him back in the sleigh. He sat comfortably in the seat finishing off the cookie as the reindeer looked back at him expectantly.

"So, what's next?" He asked around a mouth full of cookies. The reindeer smirked and turned to dash off again. Nick was ready this time and watched as they ran to the end of the roof and jumped into the air. He still couldn't figure out how they were flying but had come to accept that it was the least of his worries now. Five more houses were visited, and Nick felt he was getting the hand of this Santa gig. But he was ready for it to finally be over and return to what he considered his home. He'd had a long day and was ready for some rest. He wasn't sure how long they were in the air before he realized they hadn't landed in a long time. He looked down over the edge of the sleigh and saw only snow-covered evergreens.

"Hey! Where are we going?" He asked the flying reindeer.

"Home." One of them called over his shoulder.

"This isn't the way to my home!" He shouted back, but the reindeer only seemed to ignore him. Nick weighed his options. Jump and fall to his death or see where they were taking him. They continued for a long while after that. Nick had curled up with his tail around his feet to keep warm. The air seemed to just get colder and colder. He'd nearly fallen asleep when he felt the sleigh suddenly tilted forward as the reindeer began running towards the ground. They'd done this at each house they've visited, and Nick had gotten used to it. What he wasn't used to was them running towards the snow-covered ground at extremely fast speed.

"Shouldn't we slow down?" He called out, only to hear chuckling in reply. Faster and faster they ran towards the ground. Just as it seemed they would crash, the reindeer suddenly leveled out and were running along the ground. Nick felt as though he would fall through the seat as the force of the direction change hit him. He then saw where the reindeer were running. A yellow light in the side of a mountain gleamed in the dark. It grew larger and larger until they entered what Nick presumed to be a doorway without slowing down. Then, without any warning, the sleigh came to an abrupt stop. Tossing Nick headfirst into the front of the sleigh.

Nick was no stranger to being knocked out. It had happened a few times over his life when he wasn't able to talk himself out of trouble or run away fast enough. So, when he found himself lying on the floor with his vision blurred and head pounding, he knew he was in trouble. He wasn't sure how long he laid there. Or what was going on, but the first thing he noticed when he rolled to look up were several long ears peeking over the edges of the sleigh. As his vision gained focus, he noticed one set of ears with black tips had a set of bright purple eyes staring daggers down at him. Ever the articulate one, Nick said the first thing that came to mind.

"Beautiful."

Then the world went dark again.

**A/N:**

**This story is the product of a question asked by AngelaMay234 about what Christmas in Zootopia would be like. The suggestion that Bunnies be elves was suggested by Togdoesstuff as well as the name Grizzmas instead of Christmas and that Santa is a bear. The idea of using The Santa Clause movie as a base story was from captainKelrin**.


	2. Chapter 2

**I want to give a special thanks to BrutusDeagon and FirnenOne for their help in editing and proof reading. This story wouldn't have been nearly as legible if it weren't for their help.**

**A/N:**

Life at the North Pole wasn't easy, there was work to be done year round. Things changed from day to day. Names came off the list, names went back on, new names needed to be added. Sure, they took time off to enjoy life. They celebrated other holidays just like other mammals. They even had birthday parties with their littermates and parents. But the work they did was the most important thing in their lives.

Well…

In Judy's life anyway. You see, every elf, or bunny as they call themselves, was born to do a certain job, not literally, they just found what they liked and stuck to it, for the rest of their lives. Judy on the other paw, wasn't happy doing the same thing over and over, year after year. She wanted to be the first bunny to master all the jobs. So, she rotated between the different assembly lines. Spending a few years at a time filling the different positions until she was working with the supervisor and running the line. Santa soon found out about the little tryer amongst his elves' ranks and invited her into a meeting with him. There they discussed her future. Under his tutelage, she would gain a new position. Head Elf. Santa's trusted assistant in assuring the toy factory ran smoothly, the list of names was double checked, and the reindeer team and sleigh were properly maintained and prepared.

January 1st is when it would all become official. You see, Judy had just finished her last year of training in managing the list of names. And with Grizzmas day coming to an end, the elves and toy factory would go on a well-deserved weeklong vacation. Then on the new year Santa would make new announcements that would involve the creation of new toy lines, shutting down old ones, maintenance that would take priority and anything else he wanted everyone to know. After that, nothing new would be announced so all focus would be on preparing for the next Grizzmas. Judy couldn't wait! Just one more week and she would be the first Elf ever to help ensure that all Grizzmas went off without a hitch. She wouldn't be making Grizzmas better for just a select few kits but all the kits of the world!

Santa was due back at any minute, he'd been gone for longer than was expected but that happened from year to year. So, Judy spent the time walking across the catwalks over the factory floor. Most elves spent their time waiting for Santa at their work areas, chatting with friends and making plans for their upcoming vacation. Judy knew almost everyone's name. Spending years at a time at the different lines ensured she met everyone that was there at the time. Only the newest of faces were the ones she didn't know. She watched as they talked of spending time out playing in the snow, time with family and friends…

Judy's smile faded as she listened to a group of doll makers talk of going on a girls' night. One of them had gone through a breakup with her boyfriend and her friends were rallying around her. You see, for all the time she'd spent working amongst the other elves, Judy never met anyone she stayed in regular contact with. Her littermates would check on her from time to time, but she never got invited to parties or to just spend time with anyone. Even her parents, who have 275 kits, worried over her the most it seemed. Fortunately, she didn't have to think about it for very long. A warning bell was sounded, the entire factory became silent as night. Every elf's giant ears were turned towards the sound as they listened to the tones.

Ring Ring, Ring Ring…

Ring Ring, Ring Ring…

It couldn't be.

Ring Ring, Ring Ring…

Judy started running at the same time as everyone else. Thousands of feet pounded the wooden floors as they raced to the sleigh room. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she thought of what the tones meant.

Something was wrong with Santa.

Judy was one of the first to arrive. She immediately went to the sleigh, jumping up to look over the side. At first, she didn't see anything, her heart clenched at the thought of a world without Santa. Then she heard moans coming from the floor. In the floorboard she saw a small version of Santa's suit with strange red fur coming out of it. She hopped in and stood over this… imposter. This was wrong, so very wrong. Her fists were closing beside her as she started to tremble with rage. The figure on the floor moaned again before rolling onto his back. His eyes opened but were unfocused. It only took a second for them to lock on to hers. She was about to question him on what happened to Santa when he suddenly spoke.

"Beautiful."

Judy's eyes widened in surprise and her jaw went slack.

"Was he talking about… me?" She thought as her ears suddenly felt hot. She watched as the eyes of the… thing in Santa's suit rolled into the back of his head and he passed out again. The cacophony of giggles overheard made her ears feel all the warmer. Judy did her best to ignore that as she leapt up on the front of the sleigh, pulling herself up till she was propped up on her elbows as her feet hung free. She looked at the reindeer who were removing their harnesses as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Where's Santa?" She demanded.

"In the Sleigh." Prancer answered. Judy looked back down at the mammal still passed out on the floor. A few of the other elves had gotten curious enough to look down at him from the seat of the sleigh. She looked back at Prancer, her ears stiff behind her.

"That isn't Santa." She replied.

"He is now." Dasher snipped back, getting a laugh from the other reindeer as they made their way out of the room. Realizing she wouldn't get anymore answers out of them turned her attention back to the problem below her. She let herself drop back beside his head and looked at him curiously.

"What did he mean, he is now?" Judy looked up at one of the newer elves she didn't know. He was sitting on the sleigh seat with his feet dangling down. She felt as though everyone were waiting, watching her for an answer. She looked around and indeed, every elf that had made their way to the sleigh was looking at her. For the first time in her life, she didn't know. Didn't know what was happening or what to do about it. It left an uneasy feeling in her stomach as her breath grew shorter. Her ears twitch to the sound of a new voice approaching.

"Okay, let us through, step aside." A voice that would normally make her roll her eyes brought such relief that she physically slouched as the tension released from her body. Soon enough, Stu and Bonnie Hopps, clambered over the side of the sleigh and joined Judy by her side.

"Well I'll be! Would you look at that Bon. It really is a fox for Santa." Stu stated.

"Oh my." Bonnie said past her paw.

"What?" Both looked at their daughter. "What are you saying? This isn't Santa, and he doesn't look like any fox I've ever seen."

"Oh, he's a red fox dear, they don't come this far north. You're used to seeing arctic foxes." Bonnie explained.

"That doesn't explain why you keep calling him Santa. Santa is a bear. Which a red fox is not. We have to find out what this fox did to Santa." Bonnie gasped and turned to Stu, placing a paw on his shoulder.

"Stu, she doesn't know." Stu looked at his wife for a moment confused before realization dawned on him.

"Know what?" Judy asked, with trepidation. Stu was about to answer when a sound had his ear twitching. The red fox they'd been discussing was waking up. The first sounds they heard were the grunts and groans of pain as he rolled himself over onto his stomach. He slowly lifted himself up and sat back on his haunches before opening his eyes.

Nick heard voices. They sounded like they were swimming around him, muffled and distorted. Whatever was going on, wherever he was, it couldn't be good. The effort to roll over and lift himself up was monumental. To process what he saw in front of him was on a galactic scale. Standing in front of him were three bunnies. Two obviously older and one that looked to be younger than he. All three wore similar clothes. The older male and younger female wearing dark green shirts with red collars and cuffs along with the same color pants. The only difference being the older female wore a dress in lieu of pants. Their buttons look to be polished brass, as well as the belt buckle to the polished black belts they wore. They even had green and red pointed hats on their heads. But what really had his brain spinning were their ears. Long ears that rounded at the top. He'd never seen anything like them.

"Geht es dir gut?" The elder female said.

"Yeah, I'm… Wait, how do I know what you just said?"

"Oh, English, we'll speak in your language, so we don't confuse you too much." The male said with a grin. Nick only stared back. With confusion evident in his expression.

"You must have lots of questions." The female said in English as well. "Come." She stepped to his side and helped him to stand. It was then that Nick noticed he was surrounded by dozens of the creatures. All staring and whispering amongst themselves. After exiting the sleigh, he was led to a hallway while all the other… He'd have to ask what they were later, gave him a wide berth as they walked past. "What is your name?" The motherly female asked.

"Nick." He replied. Both his escorts stopped in their tracks and shared a wide-eyed expression with one another before looking back at him. It was when Nick turned to see why they'd stopped that he noticed the younger female was following close behind, her unhappy scowl securely in place. He turned his attention back to the older female when she spoke again.

"Nick, as in Nicholas?" She asked. Nick looked between the three of them. The two older ones seemed to be anticipating his answer while the younger seemed curious as to why that mattered.

"Yes, Nicholas Wilde." He answered slowly. The two looked at each other, they seemed to share a silent message for a moment before smiling back at him and continuing.

"I'm sorry but, who are you? What are you? And, where am I?" Nick finally asked.

"Oh, my name's Stu," the male answered, "this is Bonnie my mate and that's our youngest daughter, Judith." Nick heard a huff behind him. "As for what we are, well, we're rabbits but you've probably heard us called elves."

Something in Nick's mind seemed to tickle at the back of his subconscious. Something telling him that he'd heard the word rabbit before. It just wasn't coming forward.

"No, I don't think I have." To which Stu nodded.

"I'm not surprised. I don't think rabbits have walked amongst other mammals in over a millennium. Which brings us to where we are." As they spoke, they'd approached a set of ornate double doors decorated in Grizzmas carvings of toys and rabbit elves at work, all painted red with gold trim. A brown and tan rabbit opened the doors for them as they approached. Nick noticed that the doorway was much larger and the doors they were opening were carved into larger doors and were just tall enough to accommodate him. At first, he was blinded by the light of the room they were entering, he had to squint his eyes as we walked through the threshold, blinking several times to help himself adjust. What he found had his jaw dropping open.

The doors opened to a large toy factory. Toys of every fashion and design sat on paused assembly lines, waiting to be restarted. He was being guided onto a catwalk which spanned the entire factory ceiling so whoever walked its length could look down to observe whoever was below. And at nearly every station there were more rabbits, walking and talking amongst themselves, that is until…

"Welcome to the North Pole!" Stu exclaimed loudly. So loudly it had a domino effect on the rabbits below. They all stopped what they were doing or talking about to look up at him. He felt his ears pinned back as a rush of unease took over. Bonnie must have sensed it, she quickly grabbed his arm and started pulling him to follow her across the catwalk.

"Come, we have something very important to show you." Nick could only nod as he was led along. The weight of all the eyes in the room resting on his shoulders. When they reached the end of the catwalk they were at another door. This one the same decorative red and gold paint but with the images of a log cabin with smoke coming from the chimney and trees all around. When the doors were opened, a large room was revealed. To the right was a large living area with a big fireplace with a small fire burning. To the left was an old-fashioned kitchen and dining area. Beyond that were two doors with the same ornamental carvings and painting depicting what lay behind each. One of a tub with steam rising up and the other of a bed. As Nick was taking in the kitchen area and the workmamship that obviously went into the room, Stu cleared his throat to gain his attention. Nick found him standing next to another door he hadn't noticed before on the opposite side of the fireplace. The door was decorated with the image of a worktable covered in tools.

Santa's workshop.

Again, as all the doors before this one, smaller doors just tall enough for him were a part of the larger doors.

"Wait!" Judy exclaimed. Stu, Bonnie and Nick all turned to see her looking mortified with one paw up in protest. "We can't go in there, no one's allowed in Santa's workshop except Santa." Stu grinned at his daughter before turning to Nick.

"Well, Santa, do you mind if we go into your workshop?" Nick glanced between Stu and Judith.

"Uhhhh…" Stu chuckled as the fox seemed to struggle with coming to terms with his new station. He reached for the door handle and gave it a turn.

"No, I didn't think you would. Besides, I was the one who helped the first Santa to build this workshop and Bonnie and I were always welcomed by the last Santa." He led Nick, followed by Bonnie into the room. Leaving Judy to stand with her mouth hanging open for a moment before she quickly followed them.

"Wait, first Santa?"

Inside the room she found Nick staring in awe at the back wall. Stretching from the back-left corner to the right and then along the wall to their right, an intricately painted mural of events spanning the history of Santa. Bonnie stood near the beginning as she began to speak.

"Seventeen hundred and thirty-five years ago, Stu and I lived in a time of turmoil." The mural began showing a mountainous region of the world with the hills on fire. In the middle was a village surrounded by soldiers. The soldiers were seen slaying rabbits and carrying them off. "Plague ravaged the living and famine swept the land. Those who were not able to fend for themselves were swept up and their existence in our world ceased. Stu and I were fated to be two such mammals, were it not for a young bear cub named, Kris Kringle."

She gestured to the next part of the mural, depicting several rabbits hiding in the hole of a house with a young bear standing over them as soldiers passed by. The scene continued to show the young bear leading them away.

"Kris was always kind, building toys out of sticks or spare lumber for children younger than himself. It mattered not what species you were, not to him. He saved us that day and several others. He kept us hidden for years as he grew. Then, one night, he led us out of our mountain valley, far north of the troubled lands. Many of us didn't make it along the way, but those of us who did, swore to always honor him for his kindness. Eventually, we made our way here where we built a home and this workshop. Making new friends and happy life."

The mural showed rabbits, muskox, reindeer, arctic foxes and wolves all working together to dig out the side of a mountain and building homes within.

"We chose to live within the mountain because we didn't want to suffer at the paws of others as we already had. Those who joined us had also suffered and vowed to keep our secret. Eventually, we noticed a change amongst us. We stopped growing old and other species began to show other signs that they'd changed. The reindeer were able to fly, the muskox and others were able to bare the cold and carry great loads for long distances without tiring. We soon found the source of this change in the rocks that made our new home."

In the mural it showed different mammals touching the wall of the mountain as it sparkled and glimmered.

"The walls of the mountain itself provides the magic within us. Kris felt we needed to share this gift with the world but also knew that if anyone else ever found out that we'd be hunted as we were before. So, he decided to do what he always did. Bring joy to the children of the world. We built the factory and set to work. Grinding the stones, we'd harvested when tunneling the mountain and using its magical power to help us prepare. We built a sleigh and eight reindeer were chosen to carry him away. He traveled the world one day out of the year every year for over 700 years."

The mural showed the many scenes Bonnie had described in beautiful detail. As it showed Kris Kringle leaving on a sleigh it was notable that his fur was a light brown color but when he returned it was much darker.

"Then, one day, Kris didn't return. In his place, was another bear, a grizzly bear. His name, was Santa Claws." Judy and Nick were both enraptured with the story and paid close attention. "He told us that Kris was in an accident and was fatally wounded. As he took his last breath, he asked him to take his coat and finish his work. Santa said he was hesitant at first and looked to find someone to help. When he looked back, Kris was gone and only his coat remained. Sound familiar Nick?" Nick slowly nodded a yes. "Kris was known for his kindness and Santa for his jolly character. For nearly one thousand years Santa traveled around the world. Until now."

The mural showed Santa delivering toys to the children of the world and the many changes that came during his time as Santa. Including the image that children around the world now knew as Santa. The mural ended with the image of Santa leaving the workshop one last time as the wall came to the corner where it met the fireplace. Above the hearth were three plaques in a row. The first, an image of Kris Kringle, the second of Santa Claws and the third was blank with the name Saint Nicholas engraved upon the ribbon across the bottom. The last thing Nick remembered was laughing hysterically before blacking out.

**A/N:**

**In order of appearance in this stories timeline. I'm aware that Saint Nicholas came first but for the purpose of this story's timeline we're putting him in last. As Kris Kringle has its origins in Germany, I thought it would be appropriate to have Bonnie speak in what would be her native language the first time Nick hears them speak.**

**Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts to the homes of well-behaved children on the night of Christmas Eve (24 December) or during the early morning hours of Christmas Day (25 December). The modern Santa Claus grew out of traditions surrounding the historical Saint Nicholas (a fourth-century Greek bishop and gift-giver of Myra), the British figure of Father Christmas, and the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas (himself also based on Saint Nicholas). Some maintain Santa Claus also absorbed elements of the Germanic god Wodan, who was associated with the pagan midwinter event of Yule and led the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession through the sky.**

**Kris Kringle has multiple explanations for where the name came from. The most commonly accepted explanation is that it came from the German Christkindl meaning Christ child. Or someone who secretly brings gifts. It's also noteworthy that the tradition of hanging stockings over the fireplace to receive gifts also has roots in Germany.**

**Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 342), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of the ancient Greek maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (Ancient Greek: Μύρα, modern-day Demre, Turkey) during the time of the Roman Empire. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, prostitutes, children, brewers, pawnbrokers, and students in various cities and countries around Europe. His reputation evolved among the faithful, as was common for early Christian saints, and his legendary habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus ("Saint Nick") through Sinterklaas.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I want to give a special thanks to BrutusDeagon and FirnenOne for their help in editing and proof reading. This story wouldn't have been nearly as legible if it weren't for their help.**

**A/N:**

It wasn't real.

It couldn't be.

It wasn't fathomable.

It had to be a dream.

That's it, it was all a dream, no, a nightmare. This was a nightmare. The worst-case scenario had literally just happened and there was no way under the stars that it could remotely be real.

Santa…

Couldn't…

Be…

A fox.

It was as simple as that Judy told herself. Her mom and dad were busy trying to make said fox comfortable on the floor back in the living room. They'd dragged him in front of the fire and used one of the place pillows to prop his head on. She'd followed without offering to help, she herself in a state of disbelief that left her numb to what was going on around her. She stood at his feet with her ears laying limp behind her, gaze was fixed on his sleeping face. He seemed at peace, as his chest rose and lowered with each breath, and she couldn't help the thought that the way in which his head was slightly tilted to the side while his tongue lolled out from his open mouth almost made him look cu…

"_Okay! Enough of that!"_ She mentally chided herself, shaking herself out of her stupor. Looking around, she saw her parents were now in the kitchen area and walked over to join them.

"We'll need to lower the counter by a couple of feet at least." Stu was saying.

"And replace the stove with one the appropriate size. He'll need pots and pans that he can use. Oh, and don't forget the-"

"Guys!" Judy interrupted her mother. "What are you doing?"

"We're making plans to remodel the room for Saint Nicholas." Stu joyfully answered. Judy stared in disbelief, her jaw hanging slightly open for a moment.

"No!" She said forcefully, stomping one foot for emphasis. She pointed angrily in the direction of the couch and the mammal on the other side. "That… Thing is not Santa Claws. We don't know what happened. For all we know Santa could be stuck out there trying to find his way back." Bonnie and Stu glanced at each other for a moment before facing Judy again. But she wasn't finished. "And another thing! Don't think I haven't forgotten the stories that Pop-pop used to tell about how red foxes were our natural enemies. And how their coats are red cause the devil made them. He used to go on and on about how sly and sneaky they are." Judy would have gone on, pointing out all the different reasons why what they thought couldn't be true, if she hadn't noticed their eyes were no longer looking at her but at something above her. As well as the ominous feeling of someone standing nearby. She turned and nearly jumped out of her fur when she realized that the fox was standing so near. Arms behind him, muzzle locked in a disarming smile with hooded eyes gazing down to meet hers. She felt her ears involuntarily fall behind her as his eyes flicked between her parents before he spoke.

"She's right." Judy's ears rose up above her head once again as one of her eyebrows raised in surprise. "I'm not Santa or this... Saint Nicholas that you think I am." Bonnie and Stu shared a worried look before speaking.

"But you put on the suit." Bonnie said.

"I was threatened." Nick countered.

"Threatened? By who?" Stu asked.

"The reindeer."

"That doesn't sound right." Stu replied.

"No, they'd never do a thing like that." Bonnie added.

"Yeah, well, they did." Nick said as he examined his claws. "They surrounded and forcibly _told _me to put the suit on." He realized he'd said the wrong thing when both Stu and Bonnie's ears twitch and a smile slowly crept up their short muzzles.

"So, you actually put the suit on yourself?" Stu asked slowly.

Nick looked between the two, trying to figure out their scheme. Something to do with him putting the suit on, but what could that possibly be?

Normally, Nick would knit a few lines and come up with a rather witty response that would exonerate him of any wrongdoing or would play into what they obviously expected him to say. But, for the life of him, the only thing that came to mind at that exact moment was…

"Yyeess." He said hesitantly while dragging the answer out.

...to tell the truth, he had no desire to drew the answer out. Normally, Nick would weave a few lines together and come up with a rather witty response that would exonerate him of any wrongdoing or playing into what they obviously expected him to say. But for the life of him the only thing that came to mind at that exact moment was to tell the truth. He had no desire to lie.

"Was there a card by chance?" Bonnie asked. Nick reached inside the pockets of the suit and pulled out the business card he'd found and looked at it. "May I?" Bonnie held her paw out and Nick hesitantly pawed it over. She walked over to an ottoman footrest that was sitting beside the couch and pushed it across the floor to a small side table with a drawer. Hopping onto the footrest she pulled the drawer open and retrieved a large magnifying glass. She handed the items to Stu before sitting on the ottoman. Stu brought the magnifying glass back over to Nick and held it above the card.

"Might want to read the fine print." He said. Nick looked through the magnifying glass and, for the first time, noticed the decoratively printed border wasn't decoration at all, but words. Starting with…

"Santa Clause: By putting on this suit and cooperating with the reindeer the wearer waives any and all rights to any previous identities, real or implied, and accepts all responsibilities and duties of Santa Claws in perpetuity until such time that the wearer becomes unable to, either by accident or design." Nick looked up incredulously. "What does that even mean?" Behind him, he heard Judy vent her frustration.

"Ugh! It means, you put on the suit, now you're Santa Claws!" She let out a final huff before crossing her arms.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I did not agree to any of this." Nick argued. "I don't want to be Santa!" He was slightly startled by the collective gasp from all the elves.

"Don't even joke like that!" Bonnie warned.

"Why not?" He asked. "What if I choose not to believe any of this and not to be Santa?" The room grew deathly silent as all three rabbits went through expressions of shock, worry and, finally, sadness until Judy spoke up.

"Then, there will be millions of disappointed children around the world."

"You see, Nick," Bonnie picked up, "children hold the spirit of Grizzmas in their hearts. Without that spirit the world will slowly degrade back into a savage landscape of hate and despair."

"You wouldn't want to be responsible for killing the spirit of Grizzmas, would you, Nicholas?" Stu asked.

Nick looked between the three of them, trying to find an out. When he saw none, he collapsed into himself, releasing a tired sigh; dragging his paws down his face.

"I just want to go home." Bonnie slid down from her seat and walked over to place her paw on his arm. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted with a gentle, knowing smile.

"You'll go home tomorrow." She said. "You have eleven months to get your affairs in order and you'll come back on Thanksgiving."

Nick, squeezing his eyes shut, was visibly cringing at the thought of having to come back. Bonnie simply patted his arm gently before speaking again.

"Judy was set to become Santa's head elf at the beginning of the year. She can manage till you get a grasp on things." Nick didn't see it, but Judy's eyes widened with hope at her mother's words and her heart nearly leaped from her chest when Nick nodded in agreement. "Goodnight Nicholas." Again, he only nodded in acknowledgement. As Bonnie and Stu were about to leave, Bonnie stopped for a moment and approached her daughter. Holding Judy's paws in her own, she whispered a simple message only Judy could hear. "Give him a chance." Judy lowered her head and nodded. Bonnie and Stu then left the room, leaving the two of them alone.

Judy stepped to be behind Nick, who was still holding his paws up to his face, pads at either side of his muzzle. She drew a breath to spea-

"Is this real?" He asked, leaving Judy speechless for a moment. With his back turned to her, she noticed his tail lay limply on the ground.

"It is." She tried to say in a tone that may reassure him, but it only seemed to cause his shoulders to sag more before he turned to face her.

"So, this place makes you rabbits live forever? I guess you're like, what, 100?"

Judy couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. "I wish, I'm actually 240." She looked away shyly. Intentional or not, he'd given her a compliment.

"Oh, well, you look good for your age." Nick had merely tried to be friendly, but he couldn't miss the way her ears darkened, or how she brought one paw up to brush the short fur at top her head, bringing one of her ears down and over her shoulder.

"We grow normally until we're in our mid-twenties. That's when the magic of the mountain starts to sustains us." She explained. They descended into a slightly awkward silence before she spoke again. "Would you like some hot chocolate?"

"Uh, yeah, that sounds great."

"Just, have a seat." She gestured to the couch. "I'll have it ready in a few minutes."

Nick nodded and went to sit on the couch. As he waited, he listened to the crackle of the wood burning in the fireplace, a sound that played symphony along with the sound of utensils tapping against pans as he waited. He tried not to think of anything and just let himself relax. It had been a long time since he'd relaxed by an actual fire, absorbing it's warmth, smelling the smoke and hot chocolate. Wait… He opened his eyes to catch sight of Judy as she rounded the corner of the couch with a platter carrying two mugs, both steaming through the foam on top.

"I hope you like it." She held it up for him to take. Nick reached down and took the platter, his paws sliding over the top of hers as she released it. He set it to one side as Judy hopped onto the bear sized couch across from him. Nick picked up one of the mugs and took a close look at it. It looked ancient and worn from use. The body was made of a silvery grey metal with bronze or copper handle and feet. Bringing it to his lips, he took a tentative sip.

"Mmm, that's good." He complimented.

"Thank you." Nick had a sideways smile at her shy tone. He glanced over and his smile evaporated. His eyes turned back to the fire in front of him.

After several moments of silence, Judy looked over to see him frowning slightly. "You look… apprehensive."

Nick snorted. "That's putting it mildly, I mean I see it; I delivered the gifts; I saw the workshop and the elves. But I don't believe it." There was quiet for a moment before Judy replied.

"Sometimes, seeing isn't believing. Kits don't see this place, but they know it's real. That's the magic of Grizzmas. Knowing there's something wonderful out there even if it is out of your reach. It gives them hope, even after they grow up and stop believing in Santa. They still have that bit of magic in them that gives them hope for a better tomorrow." Judy looked into her mug with a smile, impressed with herself and how she worded it. She looked up and saw Nicholas was still staring at the fire, his eyes full of skepticism. Judy took another long sip before speaking again. "Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts. Goodnight Nicholas." She gathered the platter and her own mug before sliding off the edge back to the floor. Nearly rounding the corner before he spoke again.

"Goodnight Fluff."

Judy looked back at him curiously. "Fluff?" She asked.

"Cause of that fluffy tail of yours." He said in a tone she didn't really recognize but somehow caused her ears to burn and heart to race. She quickly turned away, walking to the kitchen to place the platter and mug on the counter before walking out.

When the little elf was out of the room Nick turned his attention back to the fire. A content smile on his lips as he took another sip of his hot chocolate. He settled into the cushions and released a heavy sigh, his eyelids growing heavy as he allowed himself to relax.

The next thing he remembered was feeling cold. He mentally chastised himself for falling asleep on the couch when a twinge went up his spine. He slowly leaned forward and stood from the couch, one paw on his back and the other still holding his mug. He walked over to the window and looked out at the dirty gray snow of Happytown in the morning light. The coyote from across the street with the strange face tattoo was kissing his skunk wife goodbye as he…

_"Wait…"_ Nick scanned his surroundings. He was back in the old abandoned house he squatted in. Back in Zootopia. Everything was where he remembered it. Every piece of old furniture, every squeaky floorboard, every torn tear in the wallpaper. He was about to write it all off as a dream, until the weight he'd forgotten shifted in his paw. He looked down and couldn't believe what he saw. The same mug he'd drank from with the elf.

Nick, mindful of his back, eased over to a different, more comfortable chair. Lowering himself down onto the soft supportive cushions, he never took his eyes off the mug he was holding. He rolled it over in his paw as his mind brought forth everything from the night before. One key detail kept coming back to him. Even now he could hear Stu's voice speaking to him.

"_As for what we are, well, we're rabbits but you've probably heard us called elves."_

"Rabbits." He softly whispered. Nick pulled his phone from his pocket and tried to bring it up. He groaned when the low battery symbol flashed on the screen before going dark again. He tried to think of what he could do to charge his phone or look up the information he wanted to know. Unfortunately, it was Grizzmas day. The library would be closed and so would nearly all the stores that offered free Wi-Fi, not to mention a place for customers to charge their phones.

With no other option, Nick decided to wait it out. While he waited for his back to adjust, he couldn't help but wonder if all of last night had really been only a dream. That he'd gone out and drank away his real memories and replaced them with some fantasy. Yet, the mug in his paw kept reminding him that it was real.

Nick shook his head as a headache began to form, deciding that his back was well enough, he arose from the chair and made his way to the bedroom. Deciding that it would be better to try and get more sleep while his back straightened itself out.

**NEW YEARS EVE**

Judy sat at one of the many tables in the large dining area at the North Pole. They'd just finished a large festive lunch and were enjoying each other's company. Several of her siblings and their mates were conversing about the coming new year. Expectations, plans, New Year resolutions, plans for their kits, plans for new kits. Those that were still single talked of hopes to meet someone. Which brought the conversation to Judy.

"What about you Judy? Planning on finding that someone special this year?" Her brother Eugene asked. To which she replied with a shrug.

"I don't know. With the new Santa not being here till almost December, I doubt I'll have much personal time this year." One of her sisters snorted at that.

"Ha, you never have any personal time Judith. You've spent your entire life working to become Santa's Head Elf. You're 240 years old and you've never been on a date. Have you even been kissed under the mistletoe before?" Gertrude asked, one of Judy's oldest siblings.

Judy felt her fur stand on end. Her entire life she'd been criticized by others that she was doing too much as an elf. That she was stepping out of line from the norm and heading to trouble. She thought she'd proved everyone wrong when the previous Santa had declared his intentions to make her head elf. Apparently, she was wrong. Before she had a chance to respond, another of her sisters changed the subject.

"Speaking of Santa, is it true the new Santa is a red fox?" Everyone at the table had stopped their own conversations and turned to look at Judy. Since Nicholas had gone home, there had been many rumors floating around the workshop about him. There had been an official notification sent out to everyone informing them of the recent change. But it hadn't been clarified that he was a red fox. Even when everyone saw him walking across the catwalk in the red suit, suspicion and doubt reigned supreme amongst the elves.

"He is." Judy confirmed, causing everyone at the table to frown.

"Well, there goes Grizzmas." Commented Gertrude.

"What do you mean?" Judy asked, curious why her sister would think something like that.

"Isn't it obvious? He's a fox, they can't be trusted. You've all heard the stories Pop-Pop tells? How the red foxes would come in the middle of the night to steal and kitnap baby rabbits. It's no wonder there are no rabbits left outside the Pole."

"That doesn't mean all foxes are like that. What about those that help us and bring us supplies?" Judy argued.

"Yes, those are arctic foxes. He's a red fox, they're two completely different species. You know they're red because the devil made them." Everyone at the table and even some around theirs were now listening in to the conversation.

"That's ridiculous Gert and you know it. Pop-Pop was old and senile when our family came to the mountain and he's only gotten worse as the years have gone by. Besides, Mom and Dad seem to trust him."

"Oh indeed, Mom and Dad trust him because they don't want to lose their prestigious position as helper elves. They're worried that the new Santa will dismiss them, and they'll have to find positions on the factory floor and start from the beginning."

"That's not true, and you know it." Judy's ears were starting to twitch with anger.

"Oh really? I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we? After all, it's not like we can look and see if he's on the naughty or nice list." Gertrude sat back in her seat and turned her attention to the cup of cocoa in her paw.

Judy let the conversation die there, excusing herself from the table and leaving the room. She wandered the halls of the great mountain they lived under. Eventually coming back to the factory and making her way along the catwalks. She wandered aimlessly without a destination in mind, at least, until she accidentally reached a room, one she was very familiar with.

Santa's List.

Inside, Judy found everyone gone. No elves checking names or scrolling over reports to find who's naughty and who's nice. You see, Santa had a magical sense about him that allowed him to know if a child was naughty or nice. What he didn't have was time to constantly go over this list all on his own. He is just one mammal after all. So, elves relied on reports that came from a device Santa had invented for them. He managed to pour some of his own magical gift into a mechanical printing press. It would print out the deeds of the children of the world for the elves to review, then, they would decide which list the child would be on. As Grizzmas grew closer, Santa would spend the last days before Grizzmas checking it twice.

But Judy had come here for a different reason. An idea that was planted in her mind, one she couldn't shake. Was this new Santa worthy of the title Saint? It was true that Gertrude was known to comment about things she didn't know anything about but, what if she was right this time? Even Judy had questioned Nicholas' validity as Santa because he was a red fox. Was there any truth to what Pop-pop had been telling them all these years? She couldn't know for the entire species, but for one red fox in particular…

In the back of the room was a door with an image of scrolls stacked one upon another on shelves. A place where the old list were kept and stored for historical records. The Archive.

Judy used her training as she searched the records for his name. Easy enough for someone who'd done it before. It only took fifteen minutes or so to find what she was looking for. The last record of Nicholas as being naughty or nice. She pulled the scroll from its shelf, her ears twitching as she strained to hear if anyone was coming. What she was doing was against the rules. The archive was only to reference a child's behavior from the year before, not to research a mammal's integrity. She removed the ribbon tied around the paper and searched for the name Nicholas Wilde. It didn't take long, there was only one Wilde on the list, the details the record showed somewhat worried Judy.

Nicholas P. Wilde

Age 7

Nice

Why did his record end at age 7? She checked the file after that, and his name wasn't on it. That meant that he'd stopped believing in Santa before the Grizzmas in his eighth year. But why? It wasn't terribly uncommon, kits stopped believing at varying ages. Most stopped believing around age nine and only a very few stopped as early as he did. So, what happened? Judy's thoughts were derailed when she heard the list machine cranking up. She quickly replaced the scrolls she'd pulled out and peeked into the workshop.

No one was there. She stepped out from the archive and searched the room, but no one was to be found. The machine stopped. A single envelope slid down the shoot that the papers normally would. Judy looked at it confused. This has never happened before, the machine always printed papers with reports for all to see. Never a sealed envelope. She examined it as it sat on the tray, waiting to be picked up. The flap was closed and sealed with wax, an ornate N pressed into the seal. She lifted it up and turned it over, reading the inscription on the back.

**For Saint Nicholas Eyes Only**

"Huh, that's new." She whispered to herself. Voices outside the list shop had her clutching the letter and running to a hiding place. The voices quickly passed and faded from her range of hearing. Deciding she'd better leave before someone came around asking what she was doing, Judy moved to the door and strained to hear if anyone was nearby. Not hearing anything, she quickly left the room…

...not noticing the second letter that slid into the first's place.

Judy started walking towards Santa's… Or rather Saint Nicholas's room. Still feeling guilty, she eased her way toward his living quarters, being sure to avoid drawing attention to herself. With everyone preoccupied with New Years, it was easy enough. When she reached the door, she made a quick look around before slipping in unnoticed.

The room seemed colder than it did the day Saint Nicholas had arrived. Probably because the fire was out, she reasoned. She went to lay the envelope on the table for Nicholas to review when he returned, but something nagged her. Something wasn't right, something felt out of place. She looked around the room and saw the door leading to Santa's workshop was cracked open. Judy hid the envelope behind her back and walked over, knocking on the door before calling out.

"Hello? Anyone in here?" She pushed it open and stepped inside.

The room was empty save for the tools and half-finished projects on the shelves. Realizing the door must have been left open from when Nicholas was there, Judy decided to leave the envelope on his desk. She hopped into the bear sized chair and laid the letter down next to a snow globe. Satisfied, she looked at the snow globe for a moment. It displayed a single Grizzmas tree surrounded by snow, with decorations hanging from its limbs. She smiled at the simple ornament before lifting it and tilting it over. Causing the fake snow within to swirl around in the display.

Then, something unexpected happened.

The image Judy saw began to change. What was once white snowflakes turned into a black void, swirling around till it consumed all the globe. From the darkness, an image came forth.

A young fox kit, dressed in a green uniform.

**A/N:**

**Okay, show of paws, who thought the first few lines were Nick and not Judy?**

**I don't really have a lot to say about this chapter. The list machine that prints out the naughty or nice list looks something like a mass printer similar to what newspapers use. Judy has never seen a news paper so she wouldn't know to describe it like that.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Another big shoutout to BrutusDeagon and FirnenOne for their help in editing and proof reading. This story wouldn't have been nearly as legible if it weren't for their help.**

**A/N:**

The last two and a half months were hard to describe for Nick. On one paw, he'd finally managed to get to a library and look up what rabbits were. It was a sad and shameful tale of his and other mammals ancestors. Rabbits had indeed been hunted down and pressured into extinction over a thousand years ago. If that was true, then the rabbits he'd seen were truly the last of their kind. More research showed they were among the mythical creatures that are often sighted in the wilderness but have never been caught. They had a place alongside creatures such as bigfoot, yeti or even leprechauns.

The last one had Nick stopping in his tracks as he grinned and shook his head before continuing home. The fact it was St. Patty's day had to be the reason he thought of the wee folk. Other than his mind being on strange creatures that lurk in the wilderness, his life had seemed to take a turn for the better. He'd managed to make a few very lucrative deals lately and he was able to put a large sum of money away for a rainy day. He also noticed he felt more inclined to be more polite to those who often looked down on him. Even being nice to Weaselton when they bumped into each other. But ten weeks without a word had him believing it was all a dream. He shrugged off the mug that still sat in his kitchen as something that he picked up a while back and just forgot about.

Making his way home from another fairly successful day, he rounded the corner to his street and saw something that had him quirking an eyebrow. A slight mist had come over the city and he'd seen rainbows popping up all over the place. But seeing one leading to the roof of the old building he called home was a first.

"Hmm, wonder if there's a pot of gold?" He chuckled before continuing on, walking around the back and slipping in without anyone seeing, still worried that someone might call the police if they caught him squatting there. Once inside, he walked through the kitchen in the back and was stopped by what he saw in the living room. There, sitting in his best chair and wearing a leprechaun outfit, was a small green fox with some of the biggest ears he'd ever seen and top hat that rivaled them.

"Well 'tis about time ye got here laddie." The voice that came from the small fox was deeper and harsher than any he'd ever heard before. It was enough of a difference to shock him out of his stupor to find his own voice.

"W-who are you?"

The little fox stood in his seat and spread his arms as wide as they would go before proclaiming in the same booming voice.

"I be Finnick, one of the wee folk from the Emerald Isle lad. Sent here to deliver a message from the elves at yer workshop." He took off his hat and held it in front of him, then, like a magician pulling birds from its hidden compartment, the green fox produced an envelope. After placing his hat back on with a swift move, he held the envelope for Nick to retrieve.

Nick hesitantly stepped forward and took the envelope from his paw. Examining it quickly he could see that the opening was sealed by wax, an ornate N stamped into it. He flipped it over and found a message neatly inscribed.

**For Saint Nicholas Eyes Only**

He looked back to find the smaller fox holding his oversized hat in front of him again, but now with a mischievous smile showing all his small razor sharp teeth on display.

"Um, was there anything else?" Nick asked.

The little green fox's eye twitched before his grin fell into an angry frown, throwing his hat onto the floor before going into a tirade. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD TIS TO GO TO THE NORTH POLE AND THEN SHOW UP HERE IN THE MORTAL REALM JUST TO DELIVER A LETTER!" The little fox then started shouting things in a language Nick didn't understand and started jumping up and down on his own hat as he continued to throw a fit.

Nick had taken a couple of steps back and was watching the display of anger with some worry. He'd never seen a leprechaun before, much less an angry one, and it took him a moment but he finally realized what it was he was truly angry about.

"A tip." He said softly then louder. "A TIP!"

That got Finnick's attention. Almost instantly he stopped jumping and looked up at him with a devilish grin. He picked up his hat with one paw and with the other thumped it, making the once crumpled fabric seemed to snap back into perfect shape again. He held out his hat in a gesture for Nick to place a monetary tip within.

Nick fished out his wallet and was about to put a few dollars into the hat when a thought occurred to him. "Wait, what about my pot of gold?"

"Oh, sorry me boy-o. That be if ye were able to catch me. And as I'm here on me own free will, then I owe ye nothin." He said with a shrug and cocky grin.

"Oh, you're all set then!" Nick proclaimed chipperly, placing his wallet back in his pocket.

The little green fox scowled as he watched him place the money out of sight. "And they said ye were a saint."

"Don't worry, I won't let you leave empty handed." Nick said as he walked into the kitchen, retrieving the mug he had from Grizzmas.

"You know." He started saying while tossing it in his paws as he walked back with a grin. I'd ruled all this off as a dream, told myself it wasn't real." Then taking a seat across from his guest, he held the mug up to the green fox. "But this mug actually came from the North Pole, didn't it?"

Finnick studied the mug for a second before looking back at Nick. "I wouldn't know."

Nick scoffed. "You wouldn't be here, delivering a message to me, Saint Nicholas, if it wasn't." Leaning back, Nick lifted the envelope up to examine and tossed the mug over to the leprechaun. "Here, take this back to the North Pole for me. When I return and find it there, I'll owe you a favor worth doing."

Finnick caught it and his ears instantly perked up at Nick's words. "A favor ye say, from Saint Nicholas himself. Boyo do you know how to bargain." He removed his hat again and dropped the mug into it. "Well then, I'll be on me way. See ye around Saint Nicholas."

"Nick." Finnick looked at him, confusion on his muzzle. "Call me Nick."

"Saint Nick it is then! Cheerio!" There was a flash of light and the leprechaun was gone.

Nick now sat alone with the envelope in his paw. He went to the kitchen, fetched a butter knife from a drawer and used it to pry the wax off. He pulled out a folded letter and opened it to begin reading, the more he read, the more his ears lowered.

**North Pole**

The work in Santa's home had been completed in record time. The cabinets, counters, closets and other fixtures had been lowered to a level that was just below too tall for an elf. The furniture had been removed and replaced with adequately sized replacements. Stu had headed up the project and Judy had simply checked on their progress from time to time.

In fact, it was all she was doing.

Despite being head elf, she didn't have a lot to do, mostly she just helped out where she could when the other elves needed it. With no Santa to give direction or make changes, she tried to fill her time with making sure everything was sticking to the status quo... which, not being really time-consuming at all, gave her time for her other project.

Learning about Saint Nicholas.

Judy would prepare daily reports on the status of things in the toy factory. How many toys were made by each department, issues that occurred, injuries reported, number of kits on the naughty and nice list. All compiled into a single report that she would bring and place on the growing stack in Santa's… Saint Nicholas's room. But, while she used that as an excuse to enter his home, she did have other motives. The magical snow globe.

After a couple of tries she figured out how it worked. The user would stir the artificial snow within while thinking of what they wanted to know, the globe would then produce a visual record of events long past. The first thing Judy had seen, without realizing she wanted to, was why he stopped believing in Santa at such a young age. The image of him being bullied and muzzled had tears soaking her cheeks for days afterwards, but that was only the beginning.

The globe showed a scene where a red fox vixen was in an altercation with other mammals that matched the species of the ones that muzzled Nick. Without sound she couldn't be sure but it appeared she was confronting them about it. One of them, a male zebra, seemed to take offense and became very agitated. Then, the unthinkable happened. The zebra turned and kicked her. Throwing her against the wall and she crumpled to the ground.

The next scene she was shown had to be the following Thanksgiving. She could see the young version of Saint Nicholas helping his mother to set the table with a meager meal. She could tell by his expression that he knew something was wrong with his mother. She would limp and hold her side for no apparent reason, seeming to struggle with the smallest of task. Yet she always had a smile when she looked at Nicholas.

The scene ended and a new one appeared. A young Saint Nicholas standing at the graveside of what Judy presumed to be his mother. A single small stone marker at its head.

That was all the globe showed her that night.

In the months that followed, she used every excuse she could to go back and have the globe show her more glimpses from Saint Nicholas's life. From what happened after his mother passed to how he became Santa.

The story inbetween broke her heart. She watched as the globe showed how he was passed from one abusive foster home to another, till he ran away at the age of 14. She only knew his age because it showed him writing it on a birthday card to himself.

He was recruited by the mafia to serve as a low level messenger and was blamed for something to do with a rug and chased away. She didn't know how old he was at that time, but throughout the months that she came back the globe showed every side to him, every trick and scheme he ever used to make a quick dollar, and every small act of kindness he performed for others, even when he himself couldn't afford to.

The things that she had witnessed had left her confused and in doubt. How could he be this Saint Nicholas after doing so many wrongs? All the rights in the world couldn't make up for lying and stealing, could it? So here they were, stuck with an imperfect Santa and nothing she could do about it.

After watching how he scammed a whole group of lemmings by buying a large elephant-sized popsicle and melt it down to smaller ones for a jacked-up price, then selling the used sticks as construction wood to mice, she'd had enough. She stormed out of his workshop and home and went straight to her parents. Furious that this fox could not be the Saint Nicholas they thought he was. She all but kicked the door open as she stormed into the kitchen where she found her mother preparing the next meal for the army of workers.

"You and dad, meeting room, now." Judy said, causing Bonnie to raised an inquisitive eyebrow, as did the rest of those present. "Head elf business." She added before walking out, her ears burning with embarrassment from her outburst.

Judy went to the largest room amongst the living area, where the family would hold meetings to discuss upcoming events and plans for the burrow, or where one of the kits would get some privacy to discuss with their parents. She waited for several minutes before her mom and dad finally made it. This gave her time to calm down and think about why she was there. Did she really want to discredit this Santa? How did they know that he really was meant to be this Saint Nicholas? Questions like these raced through her mind until the door opened and Stu and Bonnie walked in.

"Alright," Stu started, "what's so important you had to burst in shouting orders at your mother?" His voice was stern as was his posture.

"I never said she was shouting Stu." Bonnie corrected.

"Well it wouldn't surprise me if she did."

"Guys." Judy tried to cut in.

"She's just under a lot of stress." Bonnie replied, not noticing Judy.

"Hello?"

"Well, she wouldn't be if she weren't taking this head elf thing so seriously."

"GUYS!" Bonnie and Stu both stopped and turned to face Judy. "Would you please just listen to me?"

The two shared a glance before focusing on Judy. "Alright Jude, but we're going to talk about this later." Stu said sternly. Judy nodded in agreement.

"So what's this about bun-bun?" Bonnie asked.

"It's about Nicholas, I…" She stood there, with her mouth open, ready to admit to everything so that the truth would come out. That he was no saint and that he didn't deserve to take Santa's place. But that meant revealing what she'd done. And, while the idea of being stripped of her title as head elf, having to start from scratch as a floor sweeper, didn't really bother her, she was worried about the uncertainty of what would become of Grizzmas if she did. Was it better to let an imposter sit at the helm of Grizzmas while she was there to guide it along? This gave her pause as her parents stood waiting.

"...I, have some concerns." She said slowly. "How do we know that Nicholas is truly a saint?"

"Well," Stu started with a sigh, scratching behind his ear as he gathered his thoughts for an answer, "what do you think a saint should be?"

This gave Judy pause, what was a saint? Images of heavenly mammals with wings and halos came to mind. Someone who'd lived a virtuous life and was glorified in the heavens of the afterlife perhaps. Those were the only things that she could conjure up, so that had to be it. All of which were a far cry from what the globe had shown her.

"A saint should be someone of high moral standards. Someone who's an example to all in all aspects of life. Someone worthy of the title Santa." Judy said with a grin.

"Someone, perfect?" Bonnie asked.

"Yes!" Judy exclaimed, but then realized the unfair burden it would put on whoever wore the title. "I mean, no. Not perfect, just someone who…" She seemed to have a lack of words now. Her previous argument pulled out from under her by two simple words spoken by her mother.

"Perhaps," Stu interjected, "a saint could be defined as someone who, despite their faults, shows mercy and compassion to those less fortunate than they. Someone who endures the persecution against them, and still has kindness in their heart to share with others. Would that about sum it up?"

"Yes, but-"

"But how do we know he's a saint? Simple, we don't." Bonnie's answer to the question stunned Judy. How could she simply accept that this fox was who he was supposed to be without proof? And she asked as much.

"How can you just accept this without question?" Her parents let out a collective sigh.

"Listen, Jude, we understand what you're going through. We felt the same way when Santa took over for Kris Kringle. We didn't know who this stranger was or what he was like, and he seemed to have so many flaws that we didn't believe he could possibly do the job." Bonnie nodded along.

"Your father's got a point. We'd been disconnected from the rest of the world for so long, we forgot that mammals often have to struggle just to make ends meet. Forcing themselves to do things that society frowns upon just so they can put food on the table."

Judy hadn't thought of that. She'd forgotten all the images of the bad things that happened to Nicholas at the beginning because of all the things, borderline crooked things, he had done to make money. But was he too jaded to be Santa?

"Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day," Bonnie continued, "and you will be going to fetch Saint Nicholas, then you can ask all the questions you want, but for now, be patient." Bonnie ended by pulling her daughter into a motherly hug that had Judy's worries melting away. The hour was late, and there was nothing more to discuss.

Tomorrow would be the start of a new era.

**Thanksgiving Day**

Traveling to the mortal realm, as it was called, was something new to Judy. She'd first inquired about when she found Saint Nicholas was gone from his home.

It turns out, Stu had gone in after he'd fallen asleep, and taken him back using a snow globe. These strange little trinkets were more surprising than Judy ever knew. Her parents admitted they'd only seen it used a couple of times by Santa or Kris Kringle, and Stu only used it the one time.

Judy and her parents were standing in the middle of Nicholas's living room as Stu gingerly handed the globe over, this one with a snowman as the figure.

"Now, just tip it over to stir the snow and then think of where you want to be. It's a bit of a rush but it doesn't hurt." Stu explained.

Judy nodded and then tipped the globe over. And, while thinking that it worked just like the one she had been using to learn about Nicholas's life, she watched as the snow filled the globe till it was swirling all around. She then tipped it back upright and looked into the face of the snowman before closing her eyes, silently whispering where she needed to go.

"To Saint Nicholas." Judy suddenly felt as though her stomach was lurched up into her chest with the wind blowing through her fur.

Her father was right, it was a rush. It only lasted a second before she found herself standing in a grassy field. She was a little dizzy from the sudden adrenaline rush and was smiling from the exhilaration. She was catching her breath as her eyes were adjusting to change in lighting.

It was bright, far brighter than it was Nicholas's home at the North Pole. As her vision finally adjusted, she realized why it was so bright. She was standing outside, in a graveyard. F\A sudden fear suddenly gripped her heart as she assumed the worst; her breath catching in her throat.

Until, coming from behind her, she heard a voice.

"Hey mom. It's been a while. Sorry I haven't been by more often. I know you said not to worry about visiting, that you aren't really here, that our bodies are just a temporary shell for our spirits, but it's nice to have somewhere to come and just talk. You won't believe what's about to happen to me. I'm moving to the North Pole. I'm sure you already know it's real and not just some kits tale. I'll be the new Santa, Saint Nicholas they called me. I don't know why though, I'm certainly no saint. But, maybe, this is my chance to be what you'd always hoped I'd be. An example to others. I'm not sure how good of a job I'll do but I'll have help."

At this point, Judy had tiptoed to a large headstone that allowed her to hide. Nicholas had his back turned to her as he sat in the grass speaking to his mother's headstone. One that was larger than the simple block that she'd seen placed there when she had died. It was modest in size but had her full name and dates etched in with the epitaph 'Loving Mother' along the bottom. Peeking around the side of the headstone she was hiding behind, Judy listened to him continue.

"There's a head elf there, her name's Judy. She seems nice. She wasn't too happy about me taking over for Santa though. I think we managed to come to some sort of truce though. She reminded me of you actually. She's passionate about what she does and is a little firecracker for sure." He chuckled at that and Judy felt her ears warming. "Would you like to meet her?"

Judy's eyes widened when she heard him say that, even more so when he looked over his shoulder and smirked at her. Feeling as though her ears were on fire, she walked out from her hiding place to within arms reach.

"How did you know?" She asked, embarrassed at being caught listening in.

"Not just for show." He said, reaching up and tapping his nose. "Besides, you smell like Grizzmas." When she gave him a curious look, he explained with a single word. "Cinnamon."

She brought her arm up and gave herself a small sniff, just barely catching a hint of cinnamon.

"You also have your own scent that makes you stand out from anyone else. Everyone does." He kept his eyes on his mother's tombstone as he spoke softly.

Judy's nose was twitching, she wanted to ask how she smelled, how he could pick her out of a crowd, but there were more important issues to discuss. So, with her ears hanging limply behind her back she looked down at her feet.

"Saint Nicholas-" She started, but was interrupted.

"Nick, please." He said. Judy nodded before starting again.

"Saint Nick-" This time she was interrupted by his soft laughter.

"Just Nick, if you don't mind." He looked at her with an amused smile, and a twinkle in his eye that she didn't remember being there the first time they'd met.

"Nick," she started, the feeling of using his first name so informally felt foreign yet friendly, "I need to step down as your head elf."

"Oh, is that so?" He replied, still looking at his mother's headstone.

"Yes, I doubted you without even giving you a chance." Her breath hitched as her eyes began to water. "I was suspicious and prejudice for no reason." Tears started to roll down her cheeks. "And I've violated your privacy for my own selfish reasons." Her chin quivered making it hard to speak. "A-and if you never want to see me again, I'll understand." She sniffed a couple more times before she heard him answer.

"Ever since I accepted this role," he spoke softly, keeping his gaze straight forward, away from her, "I've found that I can sense things about others. Kids would ride their bikes past and I would instantly know their name and whether they were nice or naughty." He let out a soft chuckle. "It even worked on adults."

Judy listened as her dread began to build. He knew everything before she'd even said a word, she was doomed from the beginning. Then he reached into his coat and pulled out a letter. She glanced up and her eyes nearly bulged from her head when she saw the letter she'd left on his desk.

"How did…" She'd started to ask, but stopped herself before finishing the sentence. Nick was now facing her with a mischievous smirk.

"So you knew about this?" He playfully asked.

"I didn't know how to get it to you, so I left it on the bench of your workshop." He hummed at that.

"Hmmm, would you like to read it?" He held it out to her.

"I'm pretty sure I already know what it says." She said sadly. Nick simply shrugged and placed it back in his coat.

"Alright then." he stood from where he was sitting and placed a paw on the headstone for a moment before facing Judy again, "So, how do we get back… Headelf?"

Judy's head snapped up along with her ears to look at him. "Yo-you're not demoting me?" He simply smiled. "Bu-but what I did, I-I…" Nick raised his paws up in a placating manor.

"What you did, was out of concern for what you hold dear. While you did break a couple of rules along the way, you had no malicious intent. As for the rest, well... it's nothing you wouldn't have learned anyway." Nick watched with a kind smile as she began to tear up again, this time with a grateful smile as she sniffled. "Come on, get in here." He held his arms open, inviting her in. She took the few short steps to him and plopped her head onto his chest. She felt his arms wrap around her shoulders as he gently hugged her.

"You bunnies," he commented, "so emotional. Is it the letter?" He pulled it from his coat, holding it away from her. "Are you just trying to get the letter?" She let out a wet chuckle as she playfully tried to reach for it. "You are standing on my tail though, off-off-off-off."

After Judy had settled down, Nick said he was ready to return to the North Pole and Judy showed him the snow globe. Once there, things happened quickly. Nick set to work, going over the list of names with Judy's help. He was given a quick tour of the entire factory and, much to Judy's and everyone's surprise, he seemed to jump right in, giving hints to make things better. There were many comments wishing he'd been there sooner as everyone continued to work to keep Grizzmas on schedule.

Until one morning... Nick awoke to find a surprise.

As he dried himself after a shower, he noticed his coat was much thicker and fluffier than usual for his winter coat. No matter how much he brushed, it wouldn't stay down. It was with some embarrassment that he let Judy into his home, with his fluffy fur sticking out from all the seams of his shirt.

"Nick? What happened to your fur? It's all… floofy?" She pointed out.

Nick's expression staying impassive as he closed the door behind her. "I woke up like this. I don't understand, my fur's never been this poofy."

"Well, we don't have time to worry about that right now, it's only four days until Grizzmas eve and we have to finish the list, prep the sleigh, load the presents and… Nick, are you paying attention?" She turned to find him scratching down his back with a long stick.

"It itches!"

**Grizzmas Morning**

Nick was sitting with Judy on his couch in front of the fire, still wearing his Santa suit. The extra fluff that he'd grown the last few days had really filled it out, giving him a jolly and fluffy look that seemed to suit the image of Santa. His lips were slightly tugged into a tired, yet happy, smile as his tail laid stretched over the couch, just barely out of her reach if she were to try and grab it.

"So, how was it?" Judy asked.

As he pondered the question his tail flicked slightly between them. "It was nice."

Judy smiled and faced the fire once again. It was going to be nice to spend time getting to know Nick more. They worked so well together over the last month, there was no doubt in her mind that the two of them made a great team.

As Judy mused of the days to come, a knock was heard at the door. "I'll get it." She told Nick, who nodded in response. Pulling the door open she found her parents. "Oh, hey guys."

"Hey Jude, mind if we join y'all?" Stu chirped merrily.

"Not at all, come on in." Judy held the door open for them to pass. The three walked back to the fireplace and took the seats available.

"So, Nick, how are you feeling?" Bonnie asked.

"I feel good. Tired, but good." He said with a smile.

"Well that's good, cause we've got news for ya." Stu said standing up.

"Oh?" Nick lifted his weary head to look toward him. "What's that."

"Well, since you've completed your first Grizzmas as Santa, you now have to full fill the second clause in the Santa agreement." Bonnie answered. Stu had walked towards the door and opened it to pull in a large cart that carried magnifying glasses of differing sizes.

Nick looked at her with a disbelieving eyebrow raised. "Second clause? What second clause?"

"Yeah, mom, what second clause?" Judy echoed.

"This one." Stu said, placing the card Nick had given them a year ago on a holder and lifting up the largest magnifying glass.

Nick stood from his seat and walked over looking at the magnified image and reading the words made visible aloud.

"The card holder acknowledges, dadada, a female of his choosing…" Nick's head tilts curiously. "In the arms of true love and holy MATRIMONY! I HAVE TO GET MARRIED."

"Yup! You sure do! Ain't it exciting!" Stu exclaimed, looking between Bonnie and Judy when a thump drew his attention to the unconscious form of Saint Nicholas.

**A/N:**

**Using Finnick as a leprechaun was FirnenOne's idea. Not much to say about this chapter other than I'm glad this phase is over and I'm very satisfied with how it turned out. Hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you next Grizzmas for The Santa Clause 2: Mrs. Claws!**


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